Crook County is a small, ranching, timber, mining, and tourist county in Wyoming’s Black Hills. It is home to one of five Amish communities in the State of Wyoming. They are good neighbors, good people, and of great value to the community (not that the last is a requirement for the first two). It only has about 8,000 residents living in more than 2800 square miles. It is a lovely place, filled with a lot of good people, businesses, and opportunity. The Amish fit in well with the frontier and surprisingly libertarian attitude of most people. Indeed, the community of Hulett, in addition to having Amish, Devil’s Tower, a huge sawmill, and great hunting and fishing, is where Boston T. Party and others established the Wyoming Free State project decades ago.
We at TPOL know and work with some of the officials in Crook County. And we know that sometimes the officials (elected and appointed) demonstrate disturbing signs of stupidity and evil. And we know that their governmental system is corrupt and evil, just as every county in every American State is. Why? Because all too often they fail to praise and honor those who do good and fail to punish those who do evil. Why? All too often, as in this case, the failures come from what the State government (read, Legislature, Judicial Branch, and the Executive Branch) forces the county to do. And of course, much of what the State government does is demanded, dictated by the FedGov, DC (with threat of force if not obeyed).
We have known many State and county employees who acted as though they sincerely believed if they did not enforce the most ridiculous edicts of the US EPA, FEMA, FMCSA, etc. that someone would come up from Denver or DC and cut their hands off. So these State and local officials would and do abuse the citizens. Serving them up as prey rather than serving them as it is claimed that “civil servants” are supposed to do.
We also know many government employees who know that what they are doing is wrong, but are caught into a trap of security (especially financial), obligations, and both fear and a sense of helplessness. They have the wrong moral compass, and lack enough moral courage. Many are living proof of Acton’s dictim: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And so they enforce ridiculous, one-size-fits-all laws and regulations that really accomplish nothing but to fund government (and, admittedly, their jobs) and make life harder. People rarely set out to become corrupt.
As with so many other matters, this is another example of how liberty has been lost. How Americans today are in so many ways less free than Americans in 1774 (before Independence from Britain). And certainly in 1777 or 1787. Even in small frontier communities like Crook County and others in Wyoming, the Dakotas, and Montana, we see that loss of freedom.
It is not individual tyrants that we are fighting against. Not all jack-booted thugs, either. It is a system, and a mindset, the result of “this is the way it is,” and sometimes “I can do better in life if I go along.” None of these are easy to counter, but we must devote the necessary effort.
The Amish are peaceful, even pacifist, people, who do not like confrontation. And often refuse to be so. I am sure that they know that fleeing to Iowa is not going to put them some place that offers them more liberty to practice their religion. But these two families have chosen to do so, fearful of the very governments that are supposed to let them live peaceful lives, protecting them from evil-doers and praising them for doing the good the Amish do so much.
But we must fight against that system. We must teach constantly the wicked nature of such things, and how there is a better way.
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.
The Price of Liberty 
Local governments, even in Wyoming, are evil
This article is from Cowboy State Daily:
Crook County is a small, ranching, timber, mining, and tourist county in Wyoming’s Black Hills. It is home to one of five Amish communities in the State of Wyoming. They are good neighbors, good people, and of great value to the community (not that the last is a requirement for the first two). It only has about 8,000 residents living in more than 2800 square miles. It is a lovely place, filled with a lot of good people, businesses, and opportunity. The Amish fit in well with the frontier and surprisingly libertarian attitude of most people. Indeed, the community of Hulett, in addition to having Amish, Devil’s Tower, a huge sawmill, and great hunting and fishing, is where Boston T. Party and others established the Wyoming Free State project decades ago.
We at TPOL know and work with some of the officials in Crook County. And we know that sometimes the officials (elected and appointed) demonstrate disturbing signs of stupidity and evil. And we know that their governmental system is corrupt and evil, just as every county in every American State is. Why? Because all too often they fail to praise and honor those who do good and fail to punish those who do evil. Why? All too often, as in this case, the failures come from what the State government (read, Legislature, Judicial Branch, and the Executive Branch) forces the county to do. And of course, much of what the State government does is demanded, dictated by the FedGov, DC (with threat of force if not obeyed).
We have known many State and county employees who acted as though they sincerely believed if they did not enforce the most ridiculous edicts of the US EPA, FEMA, FMCSA, etc. that someone would come up from Denver or DC and cut their hands off. So these State and local officials would and do abuse the citizens. Serving them up as prey rather than serving them as it is claimed that “civil servants” are supposed to do.
We also know many government employees who know that what they are doing is wrong, but are caught into a trap of security (especially financial), obligations, and both fear and a sense of helplessness. They have the wrong moral compass, and lack enough moral courage. Many are living proof of Acton’s dictim: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And so they enforce ridiculous, one-size-fits-all laws and regulations that really accomplish nothing but to fund government (and, admittedly, their jobs) and make life harder. People rarely set out to become corrupt.
As with so many other matters, this is another example of how liberty has been lost. How Americans today are in so many ways less free than Americans in 1774 (before Independence from Britain). And certainly in 1777 or 1787. Even in small frontier communities like Crook County and others in Wyoming, the Dakotas, and Montana, we see that loss of freedom.
It is not individual tyrants that we are fighting against. Not all jack-booted thugs, either. It is a system, and a mindset, the result of “this is the way it is,” and sometimes “I can do better in life if I go along.” None of these are easy to counter, but we must devote the necessary effort.
The Amish are peaceful, even pacifist, people, who do not like confrontation. And often refuse to be so. I am sure that they know that fleeing to Iowa is not going to put them some place that offers them more liberty to practice their religion. But these two families have chosen to do so, fearful of the very governments that are supposed to let them live peaceful lives, protecting them from evil-doers and praising them for doing the good the Amish do so much.
But we must fight against that system. We must teach constantly the wicked nature of such things, and how there is a better way.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.